The World Health Organization (WHO) has taken the bold step of making a global call to action to highlight the importance of maintaining the effectiveness of antibiotics.

According to health experts, the situation has become so grave that, not just in developing nations but also in developed countries, if bold action isn’t taken soon the world will fall into a “post-antibiotic era”.

WHO has called upon people from all nations to “increase awareness on antibiotic resistance” as well as to “encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy-makers” to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

Here, boldbusiness.com looks at the bold and positive impact this campaign will have once the dangers to our health are highlighted globally.

“Antibiotics: Handle with Care” stresses how important it is to acknowledge that antibiotics are life-savers and should be protected and preserved at all costs. They should be used to treat bacterial infections “only when prescribed by a certified human or animal health professional” and “they should never be shared or saved for future use”.

The campaign goes on to stress that “common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill” and “without effective antibiotics, a growing list of infections is becoming harder to treat. This includes pneumonia, tuberculosis, blood poisoning and gonorrhea”.

According to WHO, antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health today and endangers the development of the medical profession.

Using medicines properly and in the way prescribed, is the most obvious way to ensure any health threats are minimized. Additional steps can also be taken, such as “washing hands, handling food in a safe and clean manner, avoiding close contact with sick people, practicing safer sex and keeping vaccinations up to date”.

The same ethic can also be applied to animals because access to effective antibiotics is essential “to protecting animal health, as well as to improve animal welfare, treat sick animals, food security and food safety”.

Although the emergence of immune system resistance to certain types of antibiotics hasn’t really been addressed in this campaign, raising awareness of such an important cause by highlighting the fundamental basics of preserving life through the effective use of antibiotics will no doubt have a positive and bold impact on society in both the short and long terms.